This invention relates generally to communications devices, and, more particularly, to communications devices that record and playback outgoing voice mail messages.
There are an increasing number of modes of communication by which individuals may send and receive correspondence or messages. Individuals may send and receive audio messages, such as voice mail messages, or data messages, such as e-mails, text messages, or instant messages. Many modes of communication and messaging may be incorporated into a single communications device.
As individuals get busy and assume more responsibilities, they may often forget about messages they have sent to, or left with, other recipients. As a result, when a recipient attempts to get in touch with the sender in order to respond to a message, the sender may not recall the subject of the communication, especially when a message is left unattended for a prolonged period of time. Even worse, potentially, the message may go completely unaddressed whereby the recipient does not respond to the message at all and the sender forgets to follow up on his or her request.
With data messaging services such as e-mail, text messages and instant messages, there are mechanisms to track outgoing messages as well as the contents of such messages. For example, an individual may consult his or her outbox or sent items in order to not only view when messages were sent and to whom, but also to consult the subject and even the full contents of such messages. This functionality can be further enhanced by organizing messages such that they are permanently stored in different folders or directories that are more easily searchable. However, no comparable tracking mechanism is available for voice mail messages.
At best, callers may be able to consult their telephone logs to obtain information such as the time, date, duration, length and recipient of a particular call. Accordingly, if the sender has not somehow taken note of the purpose of the call or the subject of his or her voice mail message, that same sender may have permanently lost the ability to brush up on the subject without somehow soliciting this information from the recipient, or obtaining it through other indirect means, before having to answer, face or respond to the recipient. As a result, individuals contacted by someone responding to one of their messages may be faced with the embarrassing situation in which the individual is not prepared to discuss the subject brought to the attention of that same individual, whether at the time the call is returned or at a later time.
In other situations, as mentioned above, outstanding messages may go completely unaddressed. As a result, individuals may forgo professional opportunities (e.g., a broker reaping a commission on a sale) or miss personal matters (e.g, a husband wishing his wife a happy birthday or anniversary). They may alternatively forget to perform various tasks, make appointments or meet other obligations. All such situations could be remedied by merely giving individuals the ability to consult voice mail messages they have left for others.